Introduction

JFK Quotes

Friday, November 22, 2013, marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of one of the most charismatic men ever to hold the office of the president of the United States. If the half-century following John F. Kennedy's death has not put to bed rumors and conspiracy theories concerning his assassination, it has given us fresh perspective -- on the man he was, the president he tried to be and the legacy he left behind.

But time, as it always does, distances us as well. We are no longer fighting the Cold War, no longer staring nuclear annihilation in the face. And though we may be fighting wars abroad and experiencing civil unrest at home, Iraq is not Vietnam. How, then, do we understand JFK today? How do we locate his relevance in a world that, at least superficially, seems so drastically changed?

In honor of his legacy, here are 50 of the best things JFK ever wrote or said. They were chosen not only for their historical importance but for what they reveal about him as a person -- his principled devotion, his open-mindedness, his wit and charm.